PM Modi sits on floor to fulfil javelin para-thrower Navdeep Singh’s wish | Watch video

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is winning hearts after sitting down on the floor to receive a gift from Paralympian Navdeep Singh on Thursday. The gold medal-winning javelin thrower gifted the PM a blue cap before seeking his autograph during an interaction with the Indian contingent of the Paris Paralympics.

“A very touching gesture by my friend and India’s pride, Navdeep Singh!” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Meanwhile fellow Paralympic gold medalist Harvinder Singh revealed that he had gifted the arrow he used in Paris to PM Modi.

The Indian contingent concluded its Paralympics campaign in Paris with a record haul of 29 medals — including seven golds, nine silvers, and 13 bronzes. The team unlocked some ‘firsts’ during the recent games — conquering new sports and rewriting several records.

• Para-shooter Avani Lekhara became the first ever Indian woman to secure two Paralympic gold medals after defending her women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 shooting title with a world record score of 249.7 points.

• Indian javelin thrower Sumit Antil became the first Indian male to defend his Paralympics title with back-to-back golds in the F64 event and a stunning Paralympic record-breaking throw of 70.59 m. He also broke his own previous record set during the Tokyo 2020 three times.
• Harvinder Singh became India's first-ever archery champion across the Olympics and Paralympics — securing gold in the individual recurve para-archery against Poland.

• India recorded a one-two finish at a para-athletics competition for the first time, with Dharambir and Parnav Soorma clinching gold and silver, respectively, in the men's club throw F51 event. This was among India's first-ever medals in this sport. Dharambir also set an Asian record of 34.92 m.
• Praveen Kumar stood at the top of the podium with an Asian record-breaking jump of 2.08 m in the T64 high jump event.

(With inputs from agencies)